I'll Still Be Here When You Get Home
by Tarklovishki
Summary: Before Cas went to Hogwarts to learn how to be a wizard, he'd been Dean's best friend with the weird candy who had a toad that lived in his pocket.


__I wrote this for the deancas_xmas challenge in December and I've only just realised that I hadn't posted it here. My apologies! Hope you enjoy.

__I'll Still Be Here When You Get Home  
by Tarklovishki

_Dear Dean,_

How are you doing? Is your Muggle school going well? Hogwarts is going great―I've taken some more pictures of the school like you asked, although you might have seen them considering I attached them to the back of the letter. Some of them, you'll find, have Chuck in them. He thought it was hilarious to jump in front of the camera. I apologize for that, because he truly is an idiot.

As per usual, it's weird to be back at school and not be able to see you every day. I will still see you at Christmas, right? And I'll bring those Honeydukes lollies that you love so much.  
I really wish I could write more, but considering this is my seventh year I have a lot of homework to complete. I swear, the stack I've received from my teachers on the first day reaches my knees! How scary is that?

Miss you lots,  
Castiel.

Dean put down the letter, smiling. He studied the pictures on his bed and wondered how they could move like that, as though showing a part of a DVD on repeat. When he'd asked Cas, all he'd gotten in reply was, "That's like asking me how your pictures don't move. Seriously, that's weird!"

Cas's owl was still perched on the windowsill. It looked as though it was waiting for something, and with a jolt Dean remembered that it was probably thirsty or waiting for a return message. Even having a best friend and a little brother who were both magical, Dean was still way out of depth when it came to stuff from the magical world.

"You thirsty, girl?" he asked, unable to remember what Cas had called her. He ran out of his room, returning minutes later with a small bowl of water, setting it carefully on the desk in front of the window, and watched as the owl jumped off it, inspected the water carefully and then started to drink. "Might as well start writing, hm? Can't imagine you'd wanna stay with me for very long."  
Picking up a pen and dragging over one clean piece of lined paper, which is something Cas always found funny, like most of the things Dean owned, Dean sat down and began to write.

_Hey Cas,_

I'm alright, I guess. Just suffering the boredom of homework―I suppose your homework is better, you lucky bastard. Just one wave of the magic wand and BAM, homework completed. Bitch.

Yes, the photos are pretty cool, though I have to stash them away in case some of my friends come over and see them. You know, wouldn't want to ruin the International Secret Statue or whatever it's called.

How's Sammy doing? Is his third year going alright? How does it feel to know that this is your last year before you graduate? I'd call you a lucky bastard, but I don't think that covers it; I've still got one more year to go before I graduate, and then I've gotta start looking for colleges.

Dad attempted to cook today―I can hear you groaning from here―and he burnt the curtains. I still don't know how, because the roast was on the stove, and the stove isn't even underneath the window. I nearly vomited from laughing so hard. After I put out the fire, of course.

Yes, I will see you at Christmas. Just think to yourself; three more months. It's really not that long. I suppose you'll be bringing me something from the magical world, huh? You do it every year, and I think Sammy's starting to catch onto the habit. Just … no big things, alright? It gets progressively harder to hide from my friends. They already think I'm abnormal, and I'm not the one who goes to Hogwarts!

Right, my hand's hurting. I think I'm going to turn in for the night.

See you later,  
Dean

Grabbing the string that Cas had used to tie the first letter on, Dean rolled up his paper and tied it to the bird's leg.

"Get going, then," said Dean, shooing the owl out the window. The owl made sure to clip the side of his head with her wing in a sign of affectionate exasperation―or at least how Dean took it to be.

-/-

****

10 Years Ago:

"Don't go running off!" Dad called from the park bench, watching as Dean took off for the swings the second they entered the park, Sam's chubby three year old legs working to try and keep up with him.

"Dean, Dean!" said Sam, squealing as he leapt into the second swing seat. "Push, push!"

"Sammy, I wanna swing, too!" Dean grumbled, but he grabbed the chains and pulled back, ready to swing. "Hold on, Sammy, you're gonna fly real high now!"

Sam grabbed hold of the chains, practically squirming with excitement. He yelped as Dean ran forward, pushing the swing as far as he could get it, and then let go and ran out of the way. As the swing swung back and forth, steadily losing its momentum, Sam's little legs kicked out as he let out peals of laughter.

"Watch, watch, Dean! Look at me go!"

"I'm watching, Sammy," said Dean, jumping onto the swing, keeping his eyes on Sam.  
He cheered as Sam made it all the way across the monkey bars, giving Sam a thumbs up that made him beam proudly and return the gesture.

"What are you looking at, you little freak?" someone shouted.

Dean turned around just in time to see Chester, the 9 year old bully who everyone at his school seemed to be afraid of, push down a boy with black hair, big blue eyes and glasses. The boy yelped and fell to the ground, a bunch of candy spilling from his pockets and―most bizarrely―a toad.

Chester bent down to pick up the toad.

"No!" the boy cried, quickly snatching the toad up, clutching it to his chest. "_Don't_ touch Freckles."

Dean watched with rising apprehension as Chester's face went red with anger.

"What did you say to me?"

"Freckles is my pet toad; I've had him since I was five. Don't touch him." The boy stood up, standing in the middle of his fallen candy. "You can have my food if you want to, but this is my toad."

"Fine." In one swift moment, Chester snatched the glasses from the boy's face.

"_No!_" the boy cried, tears dripping down his face. "I can't see without my glasses!"

Watching as Chester pointed and laughed at the boy, pressing the glasses to the boy's face and then jerking them back before the boy could grab them, Dean had had about enough. Gathering his courage, he walked right up to Chester and pushed him in the chest with all the strength he had.

"Leave him alone, you big bully!" Dean shouted, snatching the glasses back and pressing them into the boy's hands. "Why do you have to pick on everyone all the time? No wonder no one likes you!"

"Yeah!" Sam piped up, coming up to stand beside Dean. "You're a big bully. A big _stinky_ bully."

"What did you say to me, Winchester?" Chester said to Sam, puffing up his enormous chest and cracking his knuckles threateningly.

"Gonna pick on a three year old, huh?" Dean asked, grabbing Sam's arm and pulling him behind him. "Real big of you. But see, our Dad is over there." He pointed to the park bench where their Dad sat, watching them with concern, his hands on the bench as though he were about to stand up and come over to them. "And our Dad knows who your Dad is, and the last time you got in trouble for bullying someone, you weren't allowed snacks for a week! Wanna go for two?"

For a moment, it looked as though Chester was going to punch him. Then, after a few seconds, he let out a loud wail and ran off.

Dean turned to the boy, smiling kindly. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Thank you," the boy bent down and picked up two packets of small cakes, holding them out to Dean and Sam. "My name is Castiel Novak, but you can call me Cas. Want one?"

Sam snatched his cake with a big, Cheshire grin on his face. "Thank you! I'm Sammy!"

"Don't snatch, Sammy!" Dean said. He took his own cake. "I'm Dean Winchester."  
He opened the packet and took a bite out of the cake. He very nearly resisted spitting it back up again.

"What the hell, Cas? It tastes like pumpkin!"

Cas gave him an odd look. "Of course it does; it's a Pumpkin Pasty. If you don't like it, I've got Droobles Best Blowing Gum, Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans..."

"Where do you get such weird candy from?" Dean asked, astounded. "I've never even heard of any of these things!"

"They're quite popular where I'm from," said Cas, shrugging. "You don't have to eat any of it if you don't want it."

Feeling like he was being rude, Dean shook his head and said, "Nah, I'll just eat this. On second thought, it isn't that bad." Sam had demolished his cake in record time, just to prove Dean's point. "You wanna come play on the swings?"

"Yeah, okay!" Cas exclaimed. "Race you there!" They were friends ever since.

-/-

****

Present Day:

_Dear Dean,_

The first week of school has been great, if not completely filled with homework. I swear, if I have to go to the library to search up one more use of dragons blood, I am going to scream!

Becky's been getting on my nerves again―you met her in the summer between my fifth and sixth year, I think (she was the one with poofy pigtails who talked about nothing but her favorite gay couples)-because she wants to hook me up with some kid named Sebastian, who is her best friend. I had to tell her ten times that I didn't want a boyfriend, not while I'm trying to focus on my studies because it is a very important year. Both of them looked so heartbroken, and I felt really bad, but at the same time I'm glad that she isn't bugging me anymore.

I really wish you were here right now; life is pretty dull without you making sarcastic quips left, right and centre. Just to have someone to talk to while I'm studying History of Magic―which is as boring as it has been every year―would be nice.

As much as I'm going to miss Hogwarts when school ends, I'm actually quite glad. I remember when we used to sit up late at night and talk about how we'd go on a road-trip when school ends. Yeah, I'd have to wait until your school finishes―it's ridiculous that Muggles have to go to school until they are eighteen―but it would so be worth it. Have you still got the Impala? (It would be more prudent of a wizard to simply Apparate there―being able to teleport from one place to another, you would say―but it's more about the journey to get to your destination than the time it takes to get there.)

I better go as it is nearing curfew and I want to send this thing before then.

Talk to you later,  
Cas

_To Cas,_

Of course I've still got the Impala! As if I'd give away my baby! What the hell do you take me for, Cas?

The idea of going on a road-trip is still as appealing as it was three years ago. The first place we're going to go to is definitely the Grand Canyon. Just the thought of hitting the dusty back roads appeals to me. I'm getting all excited just thinking about it.

I don't even know why you hang around Becky, Cas. That girl gives me the creeps. Sam says she's okay once you get used to her annoying side, but I really don't see how that is. Speaking of Sam, you better be watching out for him.

Gotta go, Cas; your bird is pecking me and Dad is calling me for dinner. You have no idea how weird it is still to be putting only two plates on the table instead of three.

See you later,  
Dean

-/-

****

9 Years Ago:

Dean was having his first sleepover at Cas's house, surrounded by a bunch of rented moves. The blankets were kicked down the end of the bed to make way for a bowl of chocolate and a bowl of different flavored chips. Cas had wanted to have a Disney movie marathon, and as much as Dean really didn't want to watch Disney movies, he didn't complain. Sometimes, he found himself actually enjoying watching some of them.

When _Lilo and Stitch_ ended, Cas jumped up, ran around the bed and knelt down in front of the DVD player and said, "I know this isn't a Disney film, but I really want to watch it. It seems really cool." He held up the cover of _Rugrats in Paris_, beaming hopefully. "What do you say, Dean? You wanna watch it?"

Dean took one look in Cas's bright blue eyes, and couldn't say no. "Yeah, alright."

-/-

"Dean, why are you crying?" Cas asked during the middle of the movie, winding an arm around Dean's shoulders and pulling him close. "There's nothing to cry about! It's okay!"

_I want a mum to take my hand and make me feel like a holiday  
A mum to tuck me in at night and chase the monsters away  
I want a mum to read me stories and sing me a lullaby  
And if I get scared at night, to hold me when I cry_

Dean knew there was no shame in crying in front of Cas, but he covered his face with his hands anyway and sobbed. Most kids his age probably wouldn't have been struck by the lyrics like that, but damn it, Dean missed his mum so much. He still remembered when she told him that angels were watching out for him. He missed the way she kissed his forehead after she tucked the blankets around his body nice and tight and told him that angels were watching over him. He missed the way she used to tickle him to cheer him up when he was sad. He missed the way he woke up every morning and knew that his mum was there.

"Dean, you're scaring me, and you're going to make me cry, too." Cas shook Dean a little. "What's wrong?"

"I miss my mum," Dean whispered, reaching out to grab the front of Cas's shirt. "I want my mum."

Cas already knew that Dean's mum had died in a house fire when Dean was four. It wasn't the kind of thing Dean usually talked about, except that once Cas had asked why Dean only had a Dad and not a mum.

"Wait right here," said Cas, grabbing the remote for the DVD player and pausing the movie. He pushed Dean back against the pillows, got off the bed and ran out of the room.

Dean sat in bewilderment, allowing the tears to fall freely down his cheeks, until Cas came back into the room minutes later dragging Mrs. Novak behind him.

"Time to go to bed, boys," Mrs. Novak said, taking the bowls off the bed and putting them down on the floor. She waited until Cas and Dean were settled in the bed, then grabbed the blankets and pulled it over them. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to their foreheads, her lips lingering a few seconds longer on Dean's. "Goodnight, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite!"

"Mummy, can I have a glass of milk?" Cas asked hopefully, pulling off his glasses and setting them down on his bedside cabinet.

Mrs. Novak smiled, "Of course you can."

As soon as she left the room, switching off the television as she went, Dean rolled over and snuggled into Cas's side, sniffling thickly. "Thanks, Cas."

Cas turned on his side, too, facing Dean and threw an arm over his waist. "You're welcome, Dean."

-/-

****

Present Day

_Dear Dean,_

Sam is doing fine, no need to worry. I think he's stressing himself out about his school work more than I am, which is saying something. Whenever I go into the library, he's there. I don't know how he can be such a workaholic when he's related to you, but there you go.

For your information, Dean, I don't hang around with Becky. She's just always … there. Besides, she can be nice, when she wants to be. Most of the time she is a bit of a creepy stalker―but her heart is in the right place. I just think you've got to get to know her first before you make judgements.

The only reason Adonia started pecking at you was because you were taking too long to write a response.

I got a detention today, if you can believe it. Some stupid Slytherin decided to sabotage my potion and Professor Snape wouldn't believe me when I told him who actually done it. Not that I would have expected him to; he's got a bias view of the Slytherin house, particularly since he's the head of it. I had to pickle toads guts! It was horrible; all I could think about was poor Freckles. Just goes to show how much Snape loves Ravenclaws...

Hope you like the picture of me near the Black Lake. Thought you might like to see me with my hair grown out a bit. You might not see much of a difference because of the angle, but it's gotten shaggier. If my parents saw me with this kind of hair, I have no doubt they'd freak!

Still missing you loads, Dean, and I know you're rolling your eyes as you read this, so just don't judge me. I've known you for ten freaking years; no friend I've made here at Hogwarts could ever compare to you … Oh, Merlin, I'm feeding your ego, aren't I? As if your poor father could deal with that! Speaking of your father, could you tell him I said hello?

Talk to you soon,  
Cas

_Cas,_

I miss you, too, man. But there's no need to get all blubbery about it. Yes, your hair looks so freaking weird. Cut it; it doesn't look that good when it's at your shoulders. What are you trying to replace? A curtain? You look better with it all short and spiky, like you've got bed-head. Or, as I like to call it, your 'Oh my God, I had the best orgasm of my life. Can you tell?' hair.

Dude, Chester got expelled from school the other week for fighting―you remember him, right? He's the reason we met―and now I'm the captain of the football team! We're trying to get someone to come in as quarterback. Our coach went absolutely ballistic. 

-/-

****

7 Years Ago

Dean knew something was wrong the moment Cas opened his bedroom door. Cas looked absolutely miserable, his eyes wet with unshed tears and his bottom lip quivering. Without a word, Cas stepped aside and allowed Dean to enter.

It took a few moments for Dean to work up the courage to ask what was wrong, and when he did, Cas crawled over to the other side of the bed, grabbed a piece of paper and held it out to Dean, refusing to meet his eyes.

_Dear Mr. Novak,_

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
Term begins on the 1st of September. We await your owl no later than the 31st of July.  
Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,  
Deputy Headmistress.

"Hogwarts? Witchcraft and Wizardry?" Dean asked, bewildered. "Cas, please tell me this is some kind of joke―there's no such thing as a witch or a wizard!"

A tear trailed down Cas's cheek. He made no move to wipe it away. "I'm sorry, but there is. I … I haven't been completely honest with you, Dean. I am a wizard, and I hoped that you'd get your letter as well, back in January, to say that you were one too … Dean, I'm sorry I lied to you."

"I'm not saying I believe you," said Dean. "But why couldn't you tell me?"

"Because Muggles―non-magical people―aren't supposed to know about this kind of thing," said Cas. "Mum and Dad kept going on and on about the International Statue of Secrecy, and how I couldn't say anything to any Muggles. Believe me, there were times when I just wanted to come right out and tell you everything, but I couldn't. I didn't think you'd believe me, or want to be my friend anymore … Dean, I was scared. I am scared. I don't want to lose you, and I don't want this to come between our friendship."

As much as Dean wanted to get mad at Cas for lying to him for all these years, he found he couldn't. He couldn't sit here and yell and be mad at Cas, while Cas sat on the bed crying silently like he was. Cas was many things, but he wasn't a bad friend and didn't deserve to be yelled at.

"It doesn't matter that your a wizard, Cas," said Dean, shoulders dropping on a loud exhale. "It doesn't matter, because we'll always be friends."

"Oh! Thank you, Dean, thank you!" Cas threw himself at Dean, throwing his arms around his friend's neck and flattening him on the bed. "You're the bestest friend ever! I knew you would understand. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Dean could barely breathe from laughing as he wrapped his arms around Cas, surprised by the tackle-hug. It didn't last very long; as quickly as Cas had thrown himself on Dean, he was off, pacing around the room as though he'd been shot out of a cannon.

"We have to write to each other at least every day," Cas said in a rush. "I'm not going to let our friendship die like what happens in those movies. We're going to be friends forever, no matter how far apart we are, you got it? I don't care if you have to write on that silly lined paper; you will write to me, Dean Winchester, and send pictures!"

Dean chuckled. "Of course I will, Cas. What do you take me for?"

"I'm just scared, Dean. I'll be spending seven years at Hogwarts, coming home only for the summer and Christmas holidays!" Cas said, shoving a hand through his hair. "Do you know what kind of stress gets put on a friendship when you're that far apart? Huh? Do you?"

Sighing, Dean stood up and managed to catch Cas in a hug mid pace. "Yeah, I do. But we don't exactly have a normal friendship. We won't lose contact, and we won't forget each other or whatever else you're worried about. Just calm down, okay?"

Cas nodded, pressing his forehead into the curve of Dean's shoulder. "I really wish you were coming with me."

Dean felt a stab of longing in his chest. "Me, too."

-/-

September 1st came too quickly for Dean's liking.

After two days of begging his Dad to take him to Kings Cross to say goodbye to Cas. He planned to meet Cas at the ticket barrier between platforms 9 and 10, and then hurry Dad back out before he could see how witches and wizards actually got onto the platform. There was only so much his poor father could handle, after all.

He saw Cas almost as soon as he stepped onto Platform 9. Grinning, Dean quickened his pace until he was almost running, and threw his arms around Cas. After a few moments, though, he realised that Cas was actually sobbing into his shoulder.

"Cas?" Dean asked, very worried. "Cas, it's okay."

"It's not okay," Cas replied, punctuating the last word with a stamp of his foot. "It'll be months before we see each other again! I've barely gone a week without seeing you."

Dean knew how horrible Cas felt, because he felt the same. He wanted to beg Cas not to leave―best friends did not just up and leave each other―and yet at the same time he felt like he should be pushing Cas to get on that train and go learn some magic. Magic was part of Cas, practically in his blood, and Dean knew it would be wrong to stop his friend from finding and learning more about something that had such infinite influence on Cas.

"We'll be fine, I promise," said Dean, pressing a hand to Cas's shoulder to push him back. He stared into Cas's bloodshot eyes. "We're going to write to each other every day, and send pictures, remember? It's not like we're saying goodbye for good, you know. I'll still be here when you get home."

Cas wiped his eyes, sucking in a deep breath. "You'd better be."

Mr. Novak checked his watch conspicuously, and stepped forward. "Cas, it's nearly time for the train to leave. We must go."

Cas, if possible, looked even more melancholy than before. "I'll see you later, Dean. Bye Sammy, bye Mr. Winchester."

"Bye, Cas!" Sam said, sticking his hand up in the air. "We'll miss you."

"Goodbye, Castiel," Dad said, inclining his head to the Novak's.

When Dean climbed into the back of the Impala five minutes later, he fought down the urge to cry. The world seemed a little less bright now that he wouldn't be seeing Cas every day.

-/-

****

2 Years Ago:

"Can you believe it, Dean? I got accepted!"

Dean couldn't believe it. Sam had gotten accepted to Hogwarts.

When he thought about Sam getting the mother-load of Christmas presents, he hadn't been expecting that Hogwarts would send him a bloody acceptance letter. Quite suddenly, the Hot Wheels race track he'd saved up for Sam seemed stupid by comparison.

"This must be where Cas goes, isn't it? To Hogwarts?" Sam asked. "I can't believe I'm actually going to be learning about magic―I'm gonna go tell Dad!"

Well, as luck would have it, Dean needn't have worried about protecting his family from the knowledge of the Wizarding world. Sam just had to go be a bright nut and stand out. The thought of Dean not being able to be there for Sam scared the shit out of him. What, life couldn't accept taking his best friend away for a good portion of the year? Now they had to take his brother away, too?

Son of a bitch.

He waited in Sam's room, listening, and a few minutes later he heard Dad shouting at the top of his voice, sounding proud. Well, that hadn't been what Dean had been expecting. Dad was usually the type to question the kind of things he knew nothing about. _Might as well go and tell Cas about the good news, then_, Dean thought dryly. He walked across the hall and into his room, grabbed the nearest paper and pen and started writing.

_Cas,_

Sam just got accepted into Hogwarts. Isn't that good news? The neighbors aren't going to be happy when they're woken up by Dad and Sam's party, that's for sure.

Actually, I feel like this is some cosmic joke. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud for Sam, but that's two people I'm losing for the rest of the year, barring holidays.

Look man, you better take care of him when he starts, because I won't be there for him. It absolutely sucks, but there's the truth of the matter right there. I don't mean for this to sound threatening or whatever, I'm just worried for Sammy, that's all.  
I have to wait until your owl returns before I can send this.

Can't wait to see you,  
Dean

Someone knocked on the door. Dean turned around. Leaning against the frame of the door with an easy smile on his face―the happiest Dean had seen him for a long time now―was Dad.

"Did you hear the good news?" he asked.

Dean nodded. "I heard."

"Can't really believe it, though," said Dad. "Feels like a dream, kinda."

_Yeah, tell me about it_. "So you mean to say that you believe it?"

"Not really. Sammy does, which, I guess, is the most important thing. It said on the letter that they are sending someone around to prove to us about magic, or whatever. I think it said sometime today."

They ended up sending the Gamekeeper named Hagrid, who took up nearly the whole space in the living room with just his bulk alone. If it hadn't been for his happy, care-free nature, he would have been absolutely alarming. He'd gotten special permission from the Headmaster to perform a summoning spell, and with magic brought the lamp next to the armchair sailing across the room into his outstretched hands.

"Well," said Dad, who looked a bit awestruck by it. "I guess that proves it then."

Sam's expression brightened. "Does that mean I can go?"

Dad sighed. "There's not much I can do to stop you from going," he said.

"Yes!" Sam said gleefully. He shared a grin with Hagrid.

Dean wished the world would just hurry up and swallow him whole already.

-/-

"It's really not the end of the world, you know," Cas said, just about to start his fifth year at Hogwarts, pushing his trolley down platform nine. "Sam is still going to write to you and so am I. Hey, at least you'll get to see the train after four years."

"Yeah, but this is my little brother, Cas. I've known him all his life!" Dean said, keeping an eye on Sam who walked ahead of them, looking so happy it was amazing he hadn't lost his concentration and run off the platform onto the empty railway tracks. "What if something happens?"

"Dean, Sam's smart as hell. I bet you he'd probably be in Ravenclaw with me," said Cas logically. "Do you really think I would stand by and watch as something happened to him? And do you really think that Ravenclaws, the smartest house, would do something to land themselves in trouble and get points deducted from them?"

Well, when he put it like that … "No."

"Good. Glad you're seeing sense, then."

Dean pushed him.

Despite knowing that Cas had always had to run through the ticket barrier between the platforms, Dean had thought it was more spontaneous than simply running through it. Thinking about it, the Wizarding world probably wouldn't have been kept a secret if their secret entrances to hidden things were always spontaneous. It hurt Dean's head a little bit just thinking about it.

He felt his jaw drop as he took in the scarlet steam engine that waited in the train tracks, billowing smoke onto the crowd of people on the platform.

"Let's go find a seat," Cas said to Sam. "You can sit with me for your first trip to Hogwarts. Come on, Dean."

Dean felt like he was just the hanger-on. In here, in Cas and Sam's world, he was the outsider. The freak. He could wave a wand and say a spell and nothing would happen for him, whereas everyone who surrounded him, give or take a few people, could probably perform a spell just by thinking about it. Tucking his hands in his pockets, he lowered his head and followed Cas through the crowd to the train, where they found a compartment right in the middle.

After getting Sam and Cas's heavy trunks into the compartment, Cas turned to Dean and grinned, gripping him by the shoulders and shaking him.

"Stop worrying about Sam!" he laughed. "He's going to be fine."

Then he did something he had never done before; he got onto the tips of his toes and pressed a kiss to Dean's cheek. When he pulled back, Cas had gone red in the cheeks and was biting his lip, the humor still in his eyes.

"Take care of yourself, Dean," Cas said, and climbed into the compartment, patting a chuckling Sam on the shoulder as he passed him.

Dean had gone absolutely numb with shock. What had just happened?  
Dad came up behind Dean as the whistle sounded, causing parents to push their children onto the train and shout last minute reminders at them. Dad put a hand to Dean's shoulder.

"Looks like it's just you and me," he said, sticking his hand in the air to wave to Sam.

"Yeah," said Dean, pressing his fingers to the spot on his cheek where Cas had kissed him. It might have been his imagination, but he thought he could feel his skin tingling.

"Of course."

-/-

During the Christmas holidays that year, Dean worked up the courage to return the kiss. They ended up spending the rest of the night in bed, kissing.

They decided that while Cas was still in school, a long distance relationship wasn't really going to work. So they simply kissed whenever they saw each other, missed each other when they couldn't, and longed for Cas's graduation so that they could try for a steadier relationship.

-/-

****

8 Months Ago:

The Novak family invited the Winchesters over for dinner. The food lay on the table waiting to be eaten, it was a mix of magical and Muggle. It felt more like a union between two different kinds of humans, and no matter how different they were, they were all still the same.

Dean and Cas had been inseparable the entire day. As one of his Christmas presents, Cas had taken Dean on a broomstick ride. Dean, seated behind Cas, clutched to his friend tightly, shaking like a leaf, unable to look down. He ended up screaming at Cas to take him back down to earth and as a cruel joke, Cas went into a vertical dive that convinced Dean that he was going to die. His second present was much safer; a hand-made collage of every photo Cas had taken since term started, which had to be why Dean had barely gotten any photos that year.

Dean had only gotten Cas a trench coat because he'd bought Sam a few fiction books (that he loved) and his Dad a toaster (which he needed). But Cas had loved the coat anyway and wore it for the rest of the day.

When it was time to go home, nearly two hours after dinner, Cas pointed above Dean's head and said, "Look."

Dean looked. Mistletoe. Had to be the fucking mistletoe underneath the door that led into the living room. He didn't have time to blink before Cas's mouth was on his, kissing him for the first time in months. Pretending not to notice Sam's whoops and the adults' hearty laughter, Dean put his hands on Cas's waist and drew him closer.

You could say that was how both families knew they'd become an item, but everyone had been waiting for years for Dean and Cas to get together, so they really weren't surprised.

-/-

****

One and a Half Years Later

"Dean, you ready to go?" Cas yelled, leaning against the side of the Impala. "If you don't hurry up, we're not going to beat the morning rush!"

"I'm comin', I'm comin'," Dean groused, walking out the front door with Sam and Dad following. He stopped at the front door, turned and hugged them both.

"Take care, Dean," said Dad.

"And bring me something back!" Sam said eagerly. "Or I'll never forgive you."

Dean smiled. "Will do, Sammy." He practically ran to the car, keys jingling in his hand.

"You know," he said to Cas as they climbed into the car, "You're pretty lucky that I love you, or I'd have knocked you out ages ago."

"No you wouldn't have," Cas replied lightly. "No matter where we are or what we are, you'll always be struck dead by my gorgeous good looks."

Dean snorted. "Keep making jokes like that, and I'll definitely crash the car." He rolled his eyes as Cas leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Enough of that. My baby might get jealous." He patted the dashboard.

"I'm sure she would," Cas replied solemnly, his eyes dancing with amusement.

"Let's get this show on the road, then," said Dean, turning on the ignition and pulling out of the driveway.

_Grand Canyon, here we come._

The End.


End file.
